In the operation of a household dishwasher, it is desirable to provide an arrangement whereby the door can be automatically opened at the end of the last rinse cycle to promote natural drying of the dishes therein. Such an arrangement allows the heat within the dishwasher, plus convection currents, to effect drying of the dishes and obviates the need for an electrical heater.
There are, however, certain requirements that must be met with such an automatic opening arrangement. Firstly, the arrangement must allow the opening and closing of the dishwasher door during the wash cycles, as well as during the drying period. Secondly, it is necessary that the dishwasher contain electrical safeguards so that it cannot be started while the door is open.
Further, it is desirable that the force required to operate the door latch be of such a magnitude that the timer of the dishwasher can accomplish this function without the use of any electrical solenoid or other device.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,359,150; 2,469,113; and 2,528,864 show latch devices in major appliances. They do not, however, show a latch device operable from both inside the door and from outside the appliance and operable by a force of such magnitude that it can be supplied by a timer mechanism as disclosed and claimed herein.
Applicant has invented a simple, straightforward, readily-employed, and easily-maintained latch device for a dishwasher, which latch device allows opening and closing of the dishwasher in a normal fashion, as well as automatic opening of the dishwasher by the timer.